Miniature rose plant named `Poulxas`

ABSTRACT

A new variety of miniature rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of apricot orange coloration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of miniature rose.The varietal denomination of the new variety is `Poulxas`. The plant isan upright miniature rose bush cultivated for outdoor garden decoration.It has as its seed parent an unnamed seedling, and as its pollen parent`Poultex` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,261).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and known commercial rose cultivars are thefollowing combination of characteristics: few thorns on stems, itslasting apricot orange color, its full petaled flowers of an old gardenrose form and its bright green foliage. `Poulxas` may be asexuallypropagated by cuttings, budding, and grafting.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety as performed by budding in KernCounty and Upland, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENT VARIETIES

The new rose may be distinguished from its unnamed seed parent by thefollowing combination of characteristics: whereas `Poulxas` bearsflowers of an apricot orange coloration, the seed parent bears flowersof an orange-red coloration with a yellow reverse. The plant habit ofthe seed parent is rounded, compact and low, whereas the new variety hasa taller, more upright plant habit.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, `Poultex`by the following combination of characteristics: whereas `Poulxas` bearsflowers of an apricot orange coloration, the pollen parent bears flowersof a yellow coloration. The new variety bears very full petaled flowers,whereas `Poultex` bears flowers with significantly fewer petals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the plant in color and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. Throughout this specification, color values are based uponThe Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England,except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of rose plants of the new cultivar grownoutdoors in Upland, Calif. in the month of September. Phenotypicexpression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety bears its flowers sometimes singly, but mostly three ormore per stem. Flowers are borne in irregular, rounded clusters onaverage strong, short-to-medium length stems (about 10 to about 19 cm)for the class. Outdoors the plant blooms very abundantly and nearlycontinuously during the growing season. The flowers have a slight spicyfragrance.

BUD

The peduncle is of medium to long length for the class (about 3.5 toabout 5 cm), of average caliper, and usually erect. It is mostly smoothwith some stipitate glands. Peduncle color is between 144A and 138B.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is of medium size for the class (about0.9 to about 1.3 cm in diameter at the widest point), medium in length(about 1.5 to about 2 cm), and pointed to ovoid in shape. The surface ofthe bud bears numerous hairs and some stipitate glands, usually withslender foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the bud equal to1/4 or more of its length. Bud color is between 144A and 138B.

The inner surface of the sepals is covered with fine wooly tomentum;sepal margins are lined with few stipitate glands and some hairs.

As the petals open, the bud is medium sized for the class (about 1 toabout 1.4 cm in diameter at the widest point), medium in length (about1.5 to about 2 cm), and pointed to ovoid in form. The color of the underand upper surfaces of the newly opened petals is between 23C and 20C.The bud opens well and is generally not prevented from opening by wet,cold, hot or dry weather.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom is medium to large for the class, rangingfrom about 3.5 to 5 cm in diameter. Petalage is very double with about55 to 72 petals and numerour petaloids arranged regularly. Whenpartially open, the bloom form is somewhat cupped, and the petals areloosely spiraled-to-cupped in form with petal edges slightly rolledoutward. When fully open, the bloom form is very cupped andfull-to-flat, and the petals are more loosely cupped-to-flat with petaledges very slightly rolled outward.

PETALS

The petals are of good substance and of medium thickness, with uppersurfaces slightly shiny to satiny and under surfaces satiny. The outerpetals are nearly round to broadly ovate in shape with rounded apices.The intermediate petals are more broadly obovate with rounded apices.The inner petals are very narrowly obovate to lanceolate in shape withrounded apices.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

The under surface of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between21D and 22C. The upper surface of the outer, intermediate and innerpetals is between 19B and 23D.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 19B and 23D.

THREE DAY OLD FLOWER

The under surface of the outer and inner petals is between 19B and 23D.The upper surface of the outer and inner petals is between 20D and 19C.

The general tonality of the three day old flower is between 20D and 19C.

The petals usually persist on the spent blooms before falling away,fading to near 19D.

In September in Upland, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorgenerally last from four to five days. Cut roses grown outdoor and keptat normal indoor living temperatures generally last from four to five ormore days.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are few in number and are arranged irregularly about the pistil;a few are mixed with petaloids or tucked in the calyx. The filaments areirregular in length, many without anthers. The anthers are small tomedium for the class and all open aproximately at the same time. Anthercolor is near 21D when immature and near 167D at maturity. Pollen isvery sparse and near 20D in color.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils are very few in number (approximately 18). The styles are unevento short in length, thin to average in caliper, and loosely bunched.Stigma and style color is near 4C. Ovaries are usually all enclosed inthe calyx.

Hips have not been observed on plants of this variety grown in Upland,Calif.

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to five leaflets andare borne in normal quantities. The leaves are medium for the class(about 5 to about 6.5 cm in length and about 3 to about 4 cm in width atthe widest point), normal to heavy in texture, and slightly semi-glossyto matte in finish. The leaflets are medium in size for the class (about1.5 to about 2.5 cm in length and about 1.2 to about 1.7 cm in width atthe widest point), oval to ovate in shape with acute apices and roundedbases. Their margins are usually dentate.

The upper surface of the mature leaf is between 147A and 139A. The undersurface of the mature leaf is between 138B and 191B. The upper and undersurface of the young leaf is between 146B and 137C, sometimes verylightly suffused with near 183B.

The rachis is average in caliper. The upper side is grooved and verysmooth with few hairs and stipitate glands. The under side of the rachisis mostly smooth with few stipitate glands and 1 to 2 very smallprickles.

The stipules are medium to long in length with narrow to medium widthand medium length straight points that sometimes turn out at an angle ofless than 45 degrees.

The plant displays an average degree of resistance to powdery mildew andrust as compared to other commercial varieties grown under comparableconditions in Upland, Calif.

GROWTH

The plant has a miniature bushy upright medium height habit for theclass (about 48 to about 60 cm in height and about 32 to about 44 cmspread at the widest point), with very full branching. It displays veryvigorous growth and the canes are of good caliper for the class.

The color of the major stems is between 147B and 138B. The stems bearvery few small to medium size prickles which are short to medium lengthfor the class (about 0.3 about 0.4 cm). The prickles are almost straightangled slightly downward with a medium to long narrow base; pricklecolor is near 165B. The major stem bears no small prickles.

The color of the branches is between 146A and 138A. The branches bear afew small to medium size prickles which are short to medium length forthe class (about 0.3 about 0.4 cm). The prickles are almost straightangled slightly downward with a medium to long narrow base; pricklecolor is near 161D. The branches bear no small prickles.

The color of the new shoots is between 144A and 143C sometimes verylightly suffused with near 183B. They bear a few small to medium sizeprickles which are short to medium length for the class (about 0.3 about0.4 cm). The prickles are almost straight, angled slightly downward witha medium to long narrow base; prickle color is near 144C. The shootsbear no small prickles.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of miniature rose plantsubstantially as described and illustrated herein.